On 25 February 2014, the European Parliament will vote in plenary session on the Trade Mark Package. The signatories of this statement call on the European Parliament to accept joint amendments 55 and 56 (Directive) and 115 and 116 (Regulation) tabled by the EPP and S&D groups concerning the absolute necessity for European customs to be able to control counterfeit goods in transit.

These amendments are very close to the Commission’s proposal but provide additional reassurance that, by allowing the control of counterfeit goods in transit in accordance with WTO rules, the smooth transit of legitimate goods, including legitimate generic medicines, will not be impeded.

As such we would be grateful if the European Parliament accepts these joint amendments in preference to those proposed by the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) on the counterfeit goods in transit provisions as these measures would, if adopted, substantially undermine the legal protection provided by intellectual property rights and fundamental rights within the European Union.

ASSOCIATIONS PRESENTATION

AIM is the European Brands Association. It represents brand manufacturers in Europe on key issues which affect their ability to design, distribute and market their brands. AIM’s membership groups some 1800 companies of all sizes through corporate members and national associations in 21 countries. EU consumers spent 640 bn euro on food, drink, home and personal care brands alone in 2012.

AmCham EU (American Chamber of Commerce to the EU), speaking for American companies committed to Europe on trade, investment and competitiveness issues. It aims to ensure a growth-orientated business and investment climate in Europe. Aggregate US investment in Europe totaled €1.9 trillion in 2012 and directly supports more than 4.2 million jobs in Europe

The German Anti-Counterfeiting Association (APM) is a joint initiative of the German Association of Chambers of Industry and Commerce, the Federation of German Industries, and the German Brands Association. Well known companies participate in the cross-industrial alliance for conditions where innovative activities can develop and count on effective protection.

APRAM - Association of Trademarks and Designs rights Practitioners– is an international Association for French-speaking specialists in industrial and intellectual property, in particular Trademarks and designs. The association, which now has more than 850 members, was founded 35 years ago and is open to all French-speaking lawyers practicing, all over the world, in the field of Trademarks and designs. It gathers together in-house intellectual property specialists, Attorneys at law and Trade mark Attorneys.

The purpose of the association is notably to play an active role in, and be at the forefront of, further to consultation or on its own initiative, discussions concerning intellectual property and business law in France, Europe and the world.

As a prominent international intellectual property association, APRAM is notably member of the OHIM’s users group and the OHMI’s Observatory, and is observer at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).More information about APRAM and its initiatives is available athttp://www.apram.com

The Benelux Trademark Association (BMM or Beneluxverenigingvoor Merken- en Modellenrecht / l’Association Benelux pour le droit des marques et des modèles) is the professional organization that defends the interests of all trademark professionals in the three Benelux countries. The association has more than 600 members, which are active as trademark agents, in-house counsels, attorneys and academics. The BMM promotes trademark law and other forms of intellectual property law and guarantees the professional quality of the services rendered by its members, by organizing conferences and giving training. The organization imposes an ethical code to its members. The organization keeps close contacts with the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property Law and with OHIM. More information is available on the website http://www.BMM.eu.

ECTA, the European Communities Trade Mark Association, was formed in 1980.

ECTA numbers approximately 1.400 members, coming from all the Member States of the European Union with associate members from all over the world. It brings together all those persons practicing professionally in the Member States of the European Community in the field of trade marks, designs and related IP matters. These professionals are lawyers, trade mark advisors, trade mark attorneys, in-house counsel and others who can be considered specialist practitioners in these areas.

The Association has always concentrated on those issues where the interests of all members coincide and has refrained from taking a position on matters in which there is no common viewpoint. The extensive work carried out by the Association so far, following the above guidelines, combined with the high degree of professionalism and recognized technical capabilities of its members, has established ECTA at the highest level and has allowed the Association to achieve the status of a recognized expert spokesman on all questions related to the protection and use of trade marks, designs and domain names in and throughout the European Union, and for example, in the following areas:

• Harmonization of the national laws of the EU member countries;

• Community Trade Mark Regulation and Directive;

• Community Design Regulation and Directive;

• Organization and practice of the OHIM.

In addition to having close links with the European Commission and the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs)(OHIM), ECTA is recognized by WIPO as a non-Government Organization(NGO).ECTA does also take into consideration all questions arising from the new framework affecting trade marks, including the globalization of markets, the explosion of the Internet and the changes in the world economy. For more information: http://www.ecta.org

About EURATEX - As the voice of the European textile and clothing industry, EURATEX's main objective is to create an environment within the European Union which is conducive to the manufacture of textile and clothing products The EU textile and clothing industry, including manmade fibres, remains an essential pillar of the local economy across the EU regions and is competing intensively at international level while striving for a level playing field with the rest of the world. According to revised EURATEX data, the nearly 180.00 EU-27 companies active in this industry did reach in 2012 a turnover of €168.550 million and generated more than €45 billion of added value thanks to its 1.730.000 workers. The Extra-EU exports reached the €42,1 billion or 25% of the 2012 global sales, a growing share of the EU-27 turnover and making the EU the 2nd World Exporter of Textiles and Clothing products.

FESI, the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry, represents the interests of approximately 1,800 sporting goods manufacturers (85% of the European market) through its National Sporting Goods Industry Federations and its directly affiliated member companies. 70-75% of FESI's membership is made up of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises. In total the European Sporting Goods Industry directly and indirectly employs over 650,000 EU citizens and has an annual turnover of some 65 billion euro.

INDICAM is the leading association in Italy for the fight against counterfeiting, representing more than 100 brand owners in many industrial sectors, out of a total of more than 150 members, including law firm, brand protection consultants, investigation and security systems companies. The focus is to be the common industry interface with Italian Public Administration, opinion makers , public and enforcement corps in developing IP rights and anti-counterfeiting awareness and culture, developing and diffusing studies and researches on social and economic aspects of counterfeiting as well as assisting enforcement corps with training and innovative models for intelligence and enforcement. Fundamental part of the action is lobbying for better anti-counterfeiting legislation and its stricter enforcement in co-operation with all branches of Italian Public Administration directly dealing with anti-counterfeiting activities as well as being active in Europe, keeping strict relationship with EU Parliament and Commission with an open dialogue with MEPs. INDICAM is also part of many international workgroups established by the Observatory of OHIM for the IP and is providing support co-operating with Italian diplomatic corps for the protection of Italian brands abroad

INDICAM has been among the promoters and is a founding member of GACG (Global Anti-counterfeiting Group) and is member of A.I.M. (Association des Industries de Marque)

The International Trademark Association (INTA) is a global association of trademark owners and professionals dedicated to supporting trademarks and related intellectual property in order to protect consumers and to promote fair and effective commerce. Members include more than 6,600 trademark owners, professionals and academics from more than 190 countries, who benefit from the Association’s global trademark research, policy development, education and training, and international network. Founded in 1878, INTA is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Shanghai, Brussels and Washington, D.C., and representatives in Geneva and Mumbai.

MARKENVERBAND is the leading organisation representing the brands industry in Germany. It represents the interests at national and European level of currently around 400 member companies of all sizes and from various industries. It advocates a positive consumer climate, competition on the merits, empowers consumers, the protection of intellectual property and sustainable economic development. MARKENVERBAND is a registered interest representative at the EU Commission (No. 2157421414-31).

"Union des Fabricants" is the French association against counterfeit. It includes 300 companies and professional federations from all sectors of the economy. It is a unique observatory of the protection of intellectual property rights, a source of information and a discussion forum."